Category Archives: Phiston Technologies

Were you aware that even if you wipe your hard drive on any device, there is a chance all of the sensitive information can be found if someone got their hands on its solid-state drive? The only guaranteed way to make sure the data on that drive is gone for good is by physically rendering it inoperable. While fire is not a good idea because of the toxic chemicals it releases and taking a hammer to it only results in shrapnel, there is a surefire way to wipe everything physically and electronically.

Enter Phiston Technologies’ MediaVise Compact V-Spike SSD Destroyer now available through Encore Data Products. It is a deceptively small machine, only a tad bigger than a typical desktop computer tower, but contains impressive destructive power. What it offers companies is an in house means of permanently destroying all solid-state storage devices without having to seek or waste money on outside help. The small size, around 16″ high, makes it incredibly convenient to store until it’s needed.

The power comes from a two-step process it implements. First, there are the jaws of death. Running along both of the internal walls are 187 interlocking razor sharp, hardened steel teeth that push together with an astonishing 20 tons of force created by the 40,000 pound force crushing platform. This ensures physical destruction because the entirety of the SSD is twisted, crippling all of the electronic components.

At this point, many might say that physical destruction is enough, but they clearly don’t understand the definition of the word “thorough”. The second means of destruction comes by way of electricity. Harnessing the power of the skies through four separately powered conduits, electric shocks are pulsed throughout the entire SSD. Since there are no power surge protectors guarding the media any longer, unrestrained electricity is finally allowed to do what it does to electronics—fry them.

But what about the scrap pieces? A valid question in light of the fact that using your bare hands to handle tiny slivers of metal is a poor decision. To circumvent any accidents, the machine is designed so that the operator never has to touch any of the obliterated SSDs. For basic users, the pieces are expelled into a drawer that you can then pull out and dump into a nearby receptacle. An extension is available, too. This debris chute, once attached, empties the garbage into a bin immediately after the destruction process has ended. Be mindful, though, as these pieces are recyclable, so think twice before simply throwing everything away.

The MCV-V-SSD is crafted to lead a long life of 50,000 cycles. Your company probably does not even touch that amount over the course of a year. Should something go wrong during that warranty time, they have a team of mechanics worldwide to come fix the problem.

If you need protection from data thieves, look further than a hardware wipe. While many programs will promote their cleans to be 100% effective, you have no way of guaranteeing this. In fact, who can say if the data you wanted wiped wasn’t stored in some hidden folder accessible by those with more computer knowledge than you? For total wipes, you need a physical means of destruction. Even though you can cut and smash the pieces you see, this still doesn’t ensure total deletion. Some part of it may have survived. This is why the MCV-V-SSD stands out among its competitors. It understands the importance of both the physical and electronic death. Its combination of steel jaws and powerful electricity means all SSDs it encounters do not survive in any way. If you destroy solid-state media through this machine, you can rest easy knowing there is absolutely no way anyone will ever be able to access the secrets you stored on your previous machines.